A Sacred Trust Broken
by zeusfluff
Summary: In the aftermath of the Borg attack on the Enterprise the crew finds themselves hot on the tails of the Cardassian's who have not only created a nano-virus to kill or possibly wipe out the Borg, they've created a weapon that may be metagenic in nature. So the question is: Who sold the Cardassian's the nanites? Second story in the 'Rogue Officer' series.
1. Chapter 1: A Sacred Trust Broken

**A Sacred Trust Broken**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own Laura. Date Started: 5/24/14. Date Finished: 5/31/14. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks! Summary: In the aftermath of the Borg attack on the _Enterprise _the crew finds themselves hot on the tails of the Cardassian's who have not only created a nano-virus to kill or possibly wipe out the Borg, they've created a weapon that may be metagenic in nature. Can the crew of the _Enterprise _stop the Cardassian's before innocent lives are lost? Second story in the 'Rogue Officer' series.

* * *

A cold sweat drenched his body as he woke from another nightmare. He looked around the quarters he shared with Deanna and their new daughter Laura. Finding no danger, he went over to check on Laura in the basinet at the foot of the bed.

"Can't sleep either can you kiddo? How about we go for a walk."

Deanna mumbled in the bed and was rising to get up.

"I'll get her."

Will shook his head and reached into the basinet to pick up his 6 day-old daughter.

"No I've got her. It's alright, just go back to sleep. You still need your rest."

Deanna nodded and lie back down, pulling the sheet back over her, and rolled over. Will had dressed and was making his way towards the doorway when Deanna spoke up sleepily from the bed.

"Keep her warm Will."

Laura continued to whine as the two entered the hallway. A few crewmen lined the hallway here and there going about their various tasks. But all in all, it was a pretty quiet night. The quiet after the recent events of the Borg attack on the ship was almost eerie. Swallowing a shiver Riker continued down the hallway. He knew Laura wasn't hungry, she was just in need of a little attention. He was sure she could feel being in her father's big and strong arms.

"We'll just go for a little walk Laura-bear and maybe that'll help you get back to sleep."

Laura only continued her fussing as her father made his way into the turbolift. There were already three crewmen aboard.

"Sir."

Will nodded his head at the three crewmen in the lift with him.

"Gentlemen, how is the level 5 diagnostic analysis coming for the sensor array on the deflector dish?"

The first crewman cleared his throat and looked Riker in the eye.

"Diagnostics currently at 78 percent sir. We'll have the report to you by 0800."

Will agreed and watched as the three men made their way back to Engineering. He was wandering the ship really, he didn't have a particular destination in hand. At the last moment, a thought sprung to his mind.

'I think I know the perfect place.'

Hopping back into the lift he gave the computer his destination.

"Computer, deck 15."

The computer complied and the lift began to move. Laura's whining became a little louder, but not to the point where she was screaming yet.

"Hey, Laura-bear, daddy is right here. What is it honey?"

He kept trying to comfort her as he exited the lift on Deck 15. Soon he found himself inside the Arboretum. The lights were only at half because it was the middle of the night, but Will picked a spot on the grass by the pond and sat down.

"There that's better. Maybe the sound of the water will help you get back to sleep."

Will turned his head when he heard Picard's voice behind him.

"Couldn't sleep either number one?"

Riker smiled and continued rocking Laura, trying to get her to sleep.

"No. It seems Laura is already following in my footsteps. I thought maybe the sound of the water here in the Arboretum would help her fall asleep."

Will turned to get up as the captain took a seat next to him.

"No need to get up Will. Now, let me get a good look at this beautiful young lady. I'd say she looks like you."

Riker smiled once more at the captain and traced Laura's tiny nose.

"Well you know what they say, children look like their father's when they are first born. I'll give her a few more weeks. She'll probably look more like her mother. Well Laura's asleep. Thank you sir. Laura turned out beautifully despite under the circumstances of her birth and the botched Borg invasion of the _Enterprise. _Has Starfleet intelligence found out anything about who the mole is?"

Picard shook his head and began to rise.

"Unfortunately no. I will inform you and the rest of the senior staff as soon as I know the details. And now, I think I should turn in for the night. It's very late. Way past 0300."

Will hadn't even been paying attention to the time. He probably should be getting back to bed himself. Soon, he was in the Arboretum alone with Laura. She was sound asleep and he found himself nodding off. Rising to his feet, he was careful not to jostle Laura in the process. By the time he reached deck 8 once again and was in his quarters with Deanna, he found that she was already awake.

"She's asleep again. I was hoping she would still be awake so I could feed her."

Riker had found that watching Laura nurse was the most relaxing thing he'd ever seen. He watched as Deanna tickled the bottom of Laura's feet. She had begun whining again over the last few minutes.

"She fell asleep while we were in the Arboretum. She whined the whole way there. I guess she just wanted to hear some different sounds. Or maybe it was my breathing that put her to sleep."

A smile spread across Deanna's face.

"Well she definitely isn't afraid to eat. I'd say she has your appetite already Will. We aren't going to have much trouble when she's older. She'll probably eat just about anything you put in front of her."

Will saw Deanna wince and he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Still sore?"

She nodded her head and watched her daughter continued to suckle.

"A little. You would think after 6 days my body would've gotten used to her nursing by now."

Riker ran a hand over his daughter's small head. He stopped and listened as he heard beeping coming from the computer display on the desk in the next room.

"I'll see who's calling at this time of morning."

Rising from the bed and doing his best to not disturb both his wife and daughter, he made his way into the next room.

"Give me a minute, I'll see who this is."

Sitting down at the computer, he pressed a few buttons on the computer and a familiar face popped up on the screen. A man with black hair and a kind smile with perfect teeth looked back at Will.

"Will Riker. It's been a long time since we last talked. I heard the _Enterprise _is heading back to Earth for a short stop. By any chance when you arrive, could we meet in the park under the Golden Gate Bridge? I know of a great bar near there where we can get some drinks."

Will was curious about why Eric Sartos would want to talk to him now, especially since it'd been almost 11 years since Megan's passing happened. Will knew it wasn't his fault. He couldn't help but look back at Laura. What if the same thing that happened to Megan happened to Laura too? The thought chilled him to the bone and knew it was completely irrational. He wasn't so sure he wanted to respond to his friend's communique right away.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2: The Meeting

**Chapter 2: The Meeting**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own Laura and Doctor Sartos. Date Started: 6/1/14. Date Finished: 6/9/14. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

It was a beautiful day in Washington Square Park on Powell Street. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as Will strolled over to the bench that Eric Sartos was sitting on. A smile spread across his face as he approached the seemingly older man.

"Eric it's good to see you! How have you been?"

Sartos was a mere two inches shorter than Riker, at 1.778 meters tall. Riker seemed to tower over Sartos at 2 meters. Rising, Sartos extended his hand and shook Will's in earnest friendliness.

"Things are good Will. I've been serving aboard the _Hood _for the better part of 3 years now. And may I just say this Will, congratulations on the birth of your daughter Laura. I have to say Riker, I never thought of you as the settle-down type. Give me all the details. Who's the beautiful young lady you settled down with?"

A mischievous smile adorned Riker's face.

"Deanna Troi of Betazed."

Sarto's eyes lit up with wonder.

"Ah yes. Lwaxana's daughter. Lwaxana is quite the woman."

Riker raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"You know Deanna?"

Sartos smirked and shook his head.

"I knew her mother, for a while."

Will chuckled slightly, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice.

"Well, she's quite a woman to get used to. So what do you say we get that drink eh?"

Sartos nodded and patted Will on the back hard twice.

"You were never a man to turn down a drink or two Will."

The two men laughed as they made their way the two blocks to the _Officers Club. _Entering the establishment, they found a group of cadets raising a toast to their first missions in deep space. Will could remember those days.

"…To the class of 2370!"

The cadets cheered and downed their drinks. Sitting down at the bar, the two ordered a tall glass of Synthehol. Taking a swig, Sartos turned to Riker, his eyes softening slightly.

"Don't you ever miss helping people Will? Making the sick healthy again?"

Will winced and took another large gulp of his Synthehol. _Here we go. Why does Eric have to bring all this up, especially on a day like today? _

"Sometimes I do. But then I remember Megan and those set of triplets and my mind tells me I failed. Megan was a special little girl Eric. I could've saved her. But there were no heart valve replacements for children almost 11 years ago. Those 5 months I spent caring for her was something I'd never experienced before. I'd wished her parents had been there for her more often towards the end. But she was with me. Then she just slipped away in my arms one night."

Eric looked over at Will and sighed finishing off the second glass of Synthehol.

"There was nothing you could do for her Will, other than make her comfortable. She had accumulating fluid surrounding her heart the day you brought her into the world. She was born blind and deaf, and she could only rely on touch. When Megan passed I gave you that set of triplets to deliver to say that you hadn't failed. Megan's life had been numbered in mere months. You can't blame yourself for the triplets either Will. 2 out of the 3 survived. Those are pretty good odds despite having 6 of us get all three out. The third girl died in-utero. You know that. Blood clot in the lung. That wasn't your fault either. These things sometimes just happen in nature."  
Riker became angry and stood up, slamming his fist on the bar top.

"I could've saved those children! I had two lives in my hands and what happened? I let them slip away!"

Will was done, he was ready to walk away. If this was all Eric was going to do, dredge up a past he'd rather not talk about, he was leaving. Storming towards the door, he collected his thoughts.

"Will don't walk away from your past! Deal with it!"

He was angry, but he calmed as he went outside into the cool salty air. Taking a few breaths in and out, he brought his blood pressure back down.

"There you are Imzadi, I was worried about y… What's wrong? Will your scaring me, you sound like you're having a panic attack. What happened?"

Sitting down on the bench next to her husband, she began rubbing his back with her free hand. Feeling him stiffen up, she stopped.

"Not right now Deanna. I'm trying to process some things."

Deanna saw her husband's gaze turn to the sleeping little girl in her arms. She noticed he had tears in his eyes. Then she saw flashes of what he was thinking.

"Imzadi, who are Megan and those other three babies you are thinking about?"

Will shook his head, he didn't want to hear any of this right now.

"I couldn't save them."

Now Deanna was concerned.

"Will, were they children you tried rescuing from a hostage situation while serving aboard the Potemkin?"  
He shook his head no at his wife and placed kisses all over Laura's tiny forehead.

"No. All four of those babies were my patients…"

A puzzled expression crossed Deanna's lovely features.

"Will you never told me you were a doctor…?"

Shaking his head he traced Laura's nose with his index finger.

"It was a long time ago. I only worked at Starfleet Medical for 2.5 years. It would've been three, but I lost two patients, and that's when I decided I had to leave. Hope was the straw that broke the camel's back, my back. I didn't want to see anymore suffering. So that's when I decided to pursue a command path. It suited me better anyways."

Deanna was surprised by her husband's admission.

"Will, this is the first time you've ever mentioned any of this to me. Why didn't you tell me about this? You've never really processed all the grief. I think it's time we go back to the _Enterprise _and talk about this. Please Imzadi?"

Will could never say no to his wife. She knew all the ways to make his walls collapse around him.

"Alright. Let's go."

He motioned for Deanna to give Laura to him. Taking his daughter in his arms, he rocked her and smiled.

"Laura is the miracle that lived."

Before long, the transporter brought them back to the _Enterprise. _Laura was screaming when they materialized on the transporter pad of the _Enterprise. _Deanna took their daughter back as the two exited the transporter room.

"She's hungry, I'll feed her when we get back to our quarters."

He stroked his daughter's arm which had wiggled its way out of the blanket. He wasn't sure he was ready to talk about this yet. Something struck him as odd as he was talking to Eric Sartos, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He'd been acting slightly strange.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3: Retelling of the PastTrouble

**Chapter 3: Retelling of the Past/Trouble**

Author: ZeusFluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Trek characters. But I do own: Laura and Doctor Eric Sartos. Date Started: 7/15/14. Date Finished: 3/9/15. Hope you will all enjoy! Thanks!

* * *

"He was acting very strange. I've known Eric for almost 11 years now, and he's never acted the way he did back there in that bar. Today of all days he had to bring back the one thing I'd rather forget. I'd thought he wanted to have a drink and a bite to eat."

Laura was asleep in her basinet on the end of the bed. Deanna winced as she took a seat on the bed next to her husband.

"How exactly was he acting Will? Was he acting secretive? Distant?"

Will looked into his wife's eyes and shook his head, rubbing a hand over his beard, in a nervous gesture.

"He was secretive and distant. He brought up Megan and Hope to distract me from the body language he was bringing across. I have no idea what he was hiding, but I'm going to find out. Megan was so tiny. She lived five months. Born blind and deaf, she only had two senses to go on, taste and touch. She had a heart condition. She had fluid surrounding her heart and died of congestive heart failure. Her parents weren't around often. Her mother soon-after went to locate her husband who was serving aboard a starship in the Gamma Quadrant.

By the time they got back to Starfleet Medical, it was already too late. Megan had passed away in my arms. Let's just say it was actually one job I felt comfortable with for a while. I guess I never really got over losing both Megan and Hope. But with Hope, she was one of three girls. Multiple births can be difficult sometimes. Hope was…Stillborn. I would've given anything for her to be alive when I pulled her out, but it seems the universe didn't feel it was in the plans. So I left. That's when I changed paths and pursued a career path in the command structure."

Will stopped for a fraction of a moment when he began to feel his arm and his left leg shake. Concern and fear crossed his handsome face as he stared at both limbs.

"Will? What's wrong?"

He was having a hard time thinking, swallowing became difficult. He didn't hear anything after that, everything was dark.

"Good, you're awake. We were worried about you."

His eyes felt weighted down like someone was keeping them shut. He felt like he was swallowing sandpaper, his throat was so dry. _Why was it so hard to breathe? _Finally able to open his eyes, he tried rising from the bed. But Bev stopped him with firm hands to his shoulders.

"Oh no you don't Will. You need to stay put for now."

He struggled with breathing for a second or two. _Why was he wheezing so much? _The shaking had at least stopped in his leg and his arm. Bev looked him in the eye seriously and pressed a few buttons on the stimulator/monitor atop his chest.

"Relax Will. The stimulator is helping you breathe. I've stabilized the tremors in your forearm and left leg. It appears that there were a few nanites still inside your body. They are wreaking havoc on your nervous system. Anymore side effects from the virus I should know about?"

He shook his head no as a nurse helped him sit up. He hadn't noticed Deanna had been sitting in a chair beside him this whole time. Bev left the two alone so that they could talk.

"Imzadi, you had me very worried."

Troi took Will's seemingly limp hand in her smaller one and put it up to her cheek. He looked around the room for a moment and cast a worried glance at his wife.

"Where's Laura?"

Troi sighed and gave him a smile.

"Mother's watching her for a little while. Right now it's just you and me. You concentrate on getting better. Bev says she'll have you fixed up in no time."

Immediately Will started to rise from the bio-bed and taking the monitors from his hands and chest.

"Lwaxana's here? And taking care of our daughter?"

Deanna nodded her head yes and shook her head. She could hear her husband's very worried thoughts, as clear and loud as a church bell high atop a tower.

"Mother just got her to go back to sleep. You need to rest Imzadi."

Will knew not to argue with his wife. She knew it would take time for him to heal. This was only the beginning stage.


End file.
